A Whole New World
by weeping-lady-of-the-willow
Summary: Originally written as a joke for a friend who told me I should write something like this, I decided to put it here, as it is (somewhat) a fanfic. I'm unsure of what to think of it myself, so feel free to leave any type of review at all. Bad or good. Thanx
1. Intro to story part 1

Strange dreams  
  
"Daddy, I've been having some strange dreams." I told Daddy, standing  
over him. I handed him a wrench, as he tightened the pipes under the sink.  
"Really now? What about?"  
"Well, Mommy, Jesse, and I were swimming, and we had...." I blushed,  
and trailed off. Daddy scooted out from under the sink, and looked at me.  
"What? What were you going to say?"  
"Well, Mommy, Jesse and I were swimming, but we had tails. We were in a big place, and there were a lot of tunnels and stuff, then we were in a place with a  
lot of dragons and stuff. Daddy, Jesse says dragon's don't really exist, but I think  
they do. Do they really, Daddy?"  
"I don't know sweet-heart. Maybe they do, but I can't say for sure."  
I smiled at him, and sat down in a chair Daddy smiled at me, as Mommy  
entered the room. She kissed Daddy, and I giggled. Mommy and Daddy had been  
married about twelve years, and they were still very much in love. All my friends  
told me that their parents were old, and they never kissed anymore. I asked  
Mommy how old she was, and she smiled.  
"You should never ask a woman her age, dear." Then she laughed. "I'm  
28. Why do you ask?"  
Felicia says her Mom is 35. Why are you so young?"  
"Well, your daddy and I didn't wait very long to have kids."  
"How old were you when you had me?"  
"Almost 17."  
I counted quickly inside my head. "Mommy, I'll be 16 in 4 years. You  
mean you were only 4 years older than me?"  
She smiled and nodded.  
"Wow. Was your Daddy mad?"  
"Well, at first. But he realized how much James and I loved each other."  
"Are you going to have any more babies?"  
"I don't know. Do you really want another brother or sister that badly?"  
"I want a brother. Felicia has a brother, and he's nice. I've always wanted a brother."  
Mommy stopped smiling so much, and got a far away look in her eyes. My  
smile slowly faded as well. "Mommy?"  
She looked at me, though it was almost as if she was looking through me,  
like she was watching a movie from long ago, then she closed her eyes. She opened them, and I could see tears unshed in her eyes.  
"Mommy?"  
She finally snapped out of it, and then smiled at me, as though nothing had  
happened. She scared me sometimes when she did that.  
"Yes Morgan?"  
"What were you thinking Mommy?"  
"You're old enough to know the truth."  
"The truth.....? Mommy what are you talking about?"  
"Can you go get Jesse?"  
I ran to our room to get Jesse. When she heard me shouting excitedly, she  
came running out. She had mascara and eyeliner, as well as blush and lipstick on. I  
thought she looked ridiculous.  
"What is on your face?"  
"Makeup. I think I look pretty."  
"We're twelve, not 16. Do you really think we need it?"  
She went in to wipe it off, as I told her excitedly that Mom said she's going  
to tell us the truth.  
"What truth?"  
"Probably about everything. She hasn't told us a lot of things. I know Aunt  
Phoebe used to tell things, and Mom would get onto her for it. She said the past is  
something best left untouched."  
"What kinds of things?"  
"About Grandma, and Great-grandma. And Aunt Madeline."  
"We have an Aunt Madeline?"  
"She's Mommy's twin."  
"Mommy never told me she has a twin."  
"She never told me either. Aunt Phoebe let it slip."  
We rushed to the living room, where we found Mommy and Daddy sitting  
on the couch, looking very somber. We quickly sat down, and Mommy asked what  
we wanted to know about first.  
"Do you really have a twin named Madeline?" Jesse blurted out.  
"Yes, well, I did. She died when I was on the way to the hospital to deliver  
you two."  
"How did she die?"  
"She was in a motorcycle accident."  
"Is that why you hate motorcycles?"  
"Yes it is."  
"Who was Derek?"  
"How did you know about Derek?" Mommy asked, looking surprised.  
"When Aunt Phoebe spends the night, she talks in her sleep. She was  
talking about a Derek once. I just wondered who it was."  
"He was a friend. When he turned 18, he came to live with me. He did  
something terrible one night, and then he ran away. He tried to come back, probably to apologize, but it was during the hurricane. You girls remember when you learned about that hurricane in class?"  
We nodded. My teacher said it was the worst he had ever seen. When I had asked Mommy, she told me she remembered it, but she wouldn't tell me much.  
"Well, he came back during that. He probably didn't know about the eye of the storm, and when we found him... he was dead."  
I looked down at my hands in my lap. Mommy had dealt with so much  
death, and at such a young age. I could completely understand why she hadn't wanted to talk about it. This must be painful for her.  
"Before you ask anymore questions, I want to take you girls somewhere.  
Please change into some swimming things."  
Mommy and Daddy stood up. Daddy seemed to know exactly what she  
was talking about, though I had no clue where we could be going. I followed them, and we went to our separate rooms, changed, and joined again. I locked the door behind me, and Mommy and Daddy went walking down the street. Jesse and I followed along, almost running to keep up. Jesse and I were whispering to each other.  
When Mommy and Daddy suddenly stopped, we almost bumped into them.  
They turned to look at us, and smiled.  
"We're here."  
I looked at where they had taken us. We were in the middle of a grove of  
Weeping Willows. I giggled. We were in the middle of nowhere. Was there really a  
point to this?  
"Where are we?" Jesse asked, voicing my own query.  
"This is a place that means a great deal to us. It's a huge part of your heritage. When I first came here, I felt a deep bond with this place. I came here all the time, and I came here with your father. In fact," she smiled. "we had our first  
real kiss here."  
"Why is this place so important?"  
"I think it would be easier to show you."  
We followed her, and she led us to a huge pool of water. I gasped. There  
was a waterfall emptying into the pool, and it looked impressive. I just gaped at it,  
and Mommy put her hand on my shoulder.  
"Doesn't it just take your breath away?"  
I nodded silently. She squeezed my shoulder gently, and we moved  
forward. She silently stripped to her swimsuit, and I quickly did the same. We lay  
our clothes on the bank of the pool, and dove in the water.  
Immediately, I felt invigorated. Every time water touched my body, I felt  
alive. I swam to the bottom of the pool, and when my protesting lungs could bear  
no more, I swam for the surface. Mommy watched me with obvious amusement. I  
knew she loved water as much as I did, but for some reason, she didn't go with me  
very often when we went to the beach. I hope I'll finally be able to understand her  
better... after today. 


	2. Intro to story part 2

Heritage  
  
Mommy swam for the waterfall, and paused to let Daddy and Jesse catch  
up. Daddy laughed. "Boy, I've forgotten how fast you can swim. I'm getting too old for this. My old bones can't take it."  
We laughed at him, and Mommy ducked behind the waterfall. When I  
surfaced beside her, I was shocked. There was a brilliant light coming from within  
the depths of a cave. Jesse and Daddy surface beside me.  
"I guess they were anticipating this day." Mommy said, and pulled herself  
out of the water. She helped me out of the water, and we stood waiting. Daddy and Jesse were soon standing with us, and heading away from the light, we walked to a wall. Mommy turned to smile at us, but I could see she was almost dreading her next actions.  
She picked a stone from the floor, and knocked on the wall, which swung  
open. Jesse and I gasped in amazement. The only thing within the room was a pool  
of water. I wondered why someone would go to such great lengths to hide such a thing. Mommy sat down on the edge of the pool, and I immediately took a seat beside her.  
"Girls, I have a question I want you to think about. Do you believe in  
mermaids?"  
Jesse scoffed, but I thought about it. Deep inside my soul, I truly believed  
that anything is real, if you truly believe. I nodded, and Mommy giggled with me.  
"Jesse, can you tell me why not?"  
"Everyone knows mermaids aren't real."  
"You're going to be sorely disappointed." Mommy said, plunging into the  
water. I plunged in after her, and felt a weird tingling sensation in my legs. When I  
surfaced, Mommy was already waiting. She smiled at me.  
"You felt it didn't you?"  
I nodded. "What was it?"  
"The transformation."  
I shook my head. "I don't know what you're talking about."  
"Climb out."  
She and I climbed out at the same time, and I heard Jesse gasp. I looked at her, but her eyes were riveted to my legs.  
I looked down, and I giggled with delight. "I'm a mermaid?"  
Mommy nodded. "Well, one fourth mermaid, actually. Grandma Celine is  
full-blooded mermaid."  
Jesse looked at us as though we were crazy.  
"Aren't you going to transform?" Mommy asked her, frowning that she  
had not already done so.  
She shook her head emphatically. "Okay, suit yourself. I guess you didn't  
want to go meet everyone, and explore."  
"I'll pass." she said.  
Daddy carried us one at a time to another pool of water in an opposite  
room. He placed Mommy at the water's edge, then came back for me. As he set me  
down, I noticed with some disappointment that Jesse still had not changed her mind.  
"Daddy, aren't you coming along?"  
"No, this is something special between you and your Mom. Besides, I'm  
going to stay here and watch Jesse."  
He smiled and walked away as Mommy and I dove into the depths of the  
crystal-clear water. As we dove deeper, my heart began to pound. What secrets lay  
hidden in the depths? What mysteries will be revealed? 


	3. Intro to story part 3

Secrets and Revelations... the Truth at Last  
  
Mommy knew exactly where she was going, and eventually we arrived at a house that seemed somehow familiar, though I knew I had never been there before. She knocked on the door, and not long after, the door slowly swung open. A woman's face peered out at us.  
"Grandma!" Mommy cried, throwing her arms around the woman's neck.  
"Stacey? My how you've grown. And who is this lovely young woman?"  
"This is Morgan, my daughter."  
"Where is your other daughter, and your son?"  
I turned to Mommy. I never knew she had a son.  
"Can we come inside. I've decided to tell Morgan everything, and I might  
need your help."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I'm going to start at the beginning." Mommy said.   
"When your grandmother turned 18, she and her twin sister, June, had to  
choose between a life on land for three years, or a life where they never get to visit  
our world. Obviously, they choose to live on land.  
"They were almost immediately separated. When they left the cove, Aunt  
June was found by a family who took her in, and taught her English. My Mother was found by Chris, my father, your grandfather. They fell in love, and had twins. My sister Madeline and I.  
"When they turned 21, they had to choose, stay on land forever, or come  
back here. My Mom chose to come live down here again, and she brought Madeline with her. Mom and Dad thought it best that way. I stayed on land with my father, never knowing the truth, never knowing I had a sister."  
Mommy paused, and took a deep, shaky breath. She blinked slowly then  
went back to her story.  
"When she was 12, Madeline ran away, and was put in an orphanage  
because she couldn't find my Dad and I. We had moved to Missouri, and she didn't know that. But, when I was almost 16, Daddy moved us back here.  
"On my 16th birthday, I felt something pulling me here. I left in the middle  
of the night, and found my way here. Mom told me my story, and told me I was to live with her until I was 18. I also found out I was betrothed to someone named Derek. I had already fallen in love with your father, and I didn't want to lose him.  
"Your father found out my secret, and I was able to convince my Mother  
to make a deal with me. I'd come here every weekend, if I could stay on land and go to school. That night, I became pregnant, though I didn't know it yet. Your father asked me to marry him, and because we were engaged, I was no longer betrothed to Derek.  
"When Derek turned 18, he made the choice to live on land, and he stayed  
with me. By that time, we had already found Madeline, and she was living with us.  
Aunt Phoebe fell in love with Derek, and he was in love with her as well, but he still clung stubbornly to his love for me."  
She sighed, and Great-Grandma Carolyn patted her hand. She smiled at  
me. "You should know this is very hard for your Mom to admit. It's something that's been locked away for a very long time."  
Mommy continued with her story. "At some point, the law stating that at  
the age of 21 you had to choose permanently was changed, and Mom came to live  
with us. I finally felt like I was part of a family again. Then, late one night, Derek  
came into my room. He was obviously very drunk, and he raped me. I was terrified, and I didn't tell my parents. I was afraid to. The next night, he was killed during the hurricane.  
"Grandma had told me I was going to have triplets, a boy, and two girls,  
but I believe fate had other plans. One day while at work, I started bleeding, and I  
was rushed to the hospital. The doctor told me he thought it was a miscarriage, but  
miraculously, the babies were unharmed. I was happy, because more than anything,  
I wanted my babies to be born.  
"I went through the rest of my pregnancy with no further complications,  
but when I went into labor, I found out I'd only had twins. I knew that I'd had a miscarriage, because I did not have my boy.  
"On the way to the hospital, my sister was killed, so, in retrospect, it was  
as if there were two deaths that day. But, I had you an your sister to take care of, so I had to be strong."  
As she stopped, and looked at me, I let it all sink in. A lifetime of secrets,  
things I never had expected, had been revealed. It was so amazing. I could finally  
understand some of the things I had wondered about all my life. I only wish Jesse  
could have been here to hear it all with me. No way could she possibly believe any  
of this, coming from me.  
I hugged my Mom, and hugged Great-grandma Carolyn. She was weeping,  
because she hadn't known some of the things Mommy had just revealed.  
"I'm so sorry Stacey. I never knew. I haven't gotten a visit from any family in almost thirteen years."  
"I'm so sorry Grandma. I really did mean to bring them sooner, but I never wanted to force myself to face my past. It was so painful, it was just easier to  
pretend it never happened."  
"I know exactly what you mean. But, for Eutop's sake child, thirteen years  
is a long time to keep your Grandmother in the dark."  
"Eutop?" I asked, puzzled.  
"I forgot to mention that. Eutop is like... a magical land. There, anything  
can happen, and does. You asked your father if dragons exist. Well, in Eutop they  
do. So do faeries, unicorns, centaurs, and all sorts of other neat creatures." Mommy told me, beaming at me.  
"You've been there?" I asked, amazed.  
"A few times. Your Daddy has too."  
"Can we go sometime?"  
"Well, we can probably go today."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah. Well, we have some extra time."  
"Mommy, I don't eve want to leave this place. My dreams are finally  
coming true."  
Great-grandma Carolyn cleared her throat and smiled. "I have a  
suggestion."  
Mommy looked at her. "What's that?"  
"She can stay with me."  
"Can I really?" I looked at Mommy expectantly. 


	4. Chapter 1

Love at first sight  
  
"I don't know. How long are you talking?"  
"Well, Morgan is on summer vacation, right?"  
"Well, yes."  
"How much longer does it last?"  
"About three weeks."  
"Would you say two and a half weeks would do it?"  
"Sure."  
I giggled and clapped my hands. The water slowed the process, and I felt  
kind of silly. Great-grandma Carolyn laughed. I hugged her, and then hugged Mommy, thanking them profusely. Mommy stayed for a while longer, talking with us, then said that Daddy and Jesse had been waiting long enough.  
"Send me a dream tonight, sweetie."  
"What?"  
"Grandma should explain it. I love you."  
"I love you too Mommy."  
When she left, I almost cried. It was the first time we had been separated  
for more than a night, ever. I'd never gone to summer camp, as Jesse had, because I couldn't bear to be away from Mommy.  
"Great-grandma Carolyn?"  
"Please child, either call me Carolyn, or just Grandma. I feel so old when  
you call me that. After all, I don't call you Great-granddaughter Morgan, do I?"  
I giggled. "Okay Grandma. Do you think we can visit Eutop today?"  
"By all means. But, I just thought you might want to visit some kids your  
age first."  
"There are kids my age here?"  
"What, you just thought it was old people like me?"  
I nodded. Then I laughed. "I don't think you're old. I just.... are there  
really teens here?"  
"There are people of all ages here." She gave me a conspiratorial wink  
"Especially cute boys."  
I giggled. Grandma was gonna be a lot of fun.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Oh my God, I just realized what a ditz I'm being. Here I go, letting you in  
on the deepest secrets of my past, but you don't know a thing about me.  
Well, for starters, I'm 12 years old. As you already know, so is my twin  
sister, Jesse. Her full name is Jessica Renee Prinze. Mine is Morgan Ellen Prinze.  
We both have long, shiny blond hair. Mine is longer than Jesse's, though. She doesn't like to bother with it. I've never cut my hair in my life. It's as long as Mommy's. Once, we measured her hair, and measured mine, and there was a five  
inch difference. So, she simply cut off the extra five inches from her own hair. Now, there's no difference. I was so shocked she'd cut it off at all. I thought it was her most prized possession. When I'd told her so, she'd simply laughed. "My most prized possession is my family. If I had to shave my head, I would."  
Jesse and I both have greenish eyes. The only major difference between us, is that Jesse's eyes don't change colors. They're always the color of Daddy's.  
Mine sometimes change to the color of Mommy's. They say I have beautiful eyes,  
and most of the boys at school tell me the same thing.  
I weigh about 95 pounds, and I'm 5'7" tall, but I'm still growing. So is the  
rest of my body. Some really embarrassing things have been happening to me lately. I've been growing breasts, (I had to get my first bra recently) and hair in places I don't want it. Mommy says I'm growing up. Jesse's jealous, because she's not maturing as quickly. I told her to be thankful. I didn't want to go through any of this. I still wish I wasn't. I was feeling things I had never felt before, and Mommy says it's because my body is maturing, and my mind is trying to catch up. Like, for instance, I'm now interested in boys, in a way I never was before.  
Let's see.... what else can I tell you? Oh. I play the guitar, the piano, and  
Jesse and I are in a Choir. The same Choir as Mommy and Daddy. People say we're the new Partridge family, and we all shake our heads and laugh. I'm not even sure who the Partridge family is.  
My friends and I are starting a band. Brittany is singing back-up, I sing  
lead, and play the guitar, Felicia plays the keyboard, and Daniel plays back-up guitar. He's actually the best, so far. He and I have a sort of relationship, but it's not very serious. The most we've ever done is held hands, and once he kissed me on the cheek. All my friends are pressuring me to kiss him on the lips, but I'm too nervous to even try. What if he doesn't want to? What if he didn't like it, and he told everyone I was a bad kisser?  
Mommy says that it's all up to me on how fast I think my relationship  
should progress, but she also told me Daddy was her first boyfriend ever, and they  
didn't start dating till they were 16. She said she'll never restrict me from dating, like some of my friends' parent's had. I could date whenever I felt ready, as long as I promised to introduce the boy to Mommy and Daddy.  
We have a dog named Crimson. He's a black and white Husky, I think.  
Mommy and Daddy aren't really sure what he is, either. Mommy got him from Daddy on her 16th Birthday. He's 12 years old, just like me. He's gotten kind of slow, and he doesn't play much. He seems to think he's a lap dog, though. He loves to curl up with me by the fireplace. Mommy say we don't need the fireplace, but she loves it anyway. We don't use any heat in the rest of the house, and sometimes we have to turn the air on when we light it, but it's nice. None of my other friends have a fireplace. They love to come over, and roast marshmallows with Jesse and I.  
Oh, there's something I forgot to mention to you. Sometimes, my dreams  
come true. Like, when I fell and twisted my ankle. I couldn't walk for three days, and I remembered writing in my dream-book that I had a dream I fell from something, and hurt myself. Sometimes, the dreams aren't so vague. Once, we had a cat named Puffers. In a dream, I saw a truck with a huge logo on the side, though I couldn't make it out completely, and I saw Puffers run out in front of it. I even saw the driver clearly. She was a pretty woman with long curly red hair, and freckles all over her nose. Her eyes got huge when she saw Puffers, and she slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. I woke up screaming. Mommy and Daddy had to bring Puffers in to me to prove it was only a dream.  
A week later, our doorbell rang, and when I opened the door, I saw the  
woman from my dream. She was crying, and holding something wrapped in a sheet. As I took the bundle from her, and she apologized profusely, I started screaming again. Mommy and Daddy came running. Ever since then, they've taken my dreams more seriously. The only problem is, I never know which ones are going to come true.  
I just know there's something else I'm forgetting. Oh well, must not be  
very important. Okay, time to proceed with the story.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
We left the house, and Grandma took my on a tour of her village. She  
showed me the caves, and told me that the lead everywhere. Parts of my dream came floating back to me. I wondered if this was to be another one of those dreams. Well, probably not, because Jesse and Mommy were with me in it, and I don't remember Grandma being in it.  
We stopped at a store to talk to one of Grandma's old friends, and while  
she was talking, she told me to look around. I was looking at something I saw on a  
shelf, when felt a bump from behind. I turned to look at what had bumped into me, and found myself face-to-face with a boy so handsome I about forgot to breathe. It was like, love at first sight. 


	5. Chapter 2

Puppy Love  
  
I gasped for breath after finally tearing my eyes from him. As if possessed, they instantly riveted back to him. He smiled at me, and I opened my mouth to say something.  
"Who are you?" was the first thing that popped out.  
He laughed. Even his laugh was amazing.  
"My name is Matthew. You can call me Matt."  
"I'm Morgan."  
"Why haven't I seen you here before?"  
"I never knew this place existed."  
"This store has been here for.... forever."  
"No, this whole place. I was born on land."  
"I'm sorry."  
"For what?"  
"Isn't it horrible there?"  
"No. I love it. I never knew any other place existed."  
"Wow. Well, how did you find out?"  
"My Mom brought me here."  
"Who is your Mom?"  
"Stacey. Her Mom's name is Celine."  
"You're Stacey's daughter?"  
"Yeah, did you know her?"  
"She was betrothed to my cousin Derek. And, she helped to find my older  
brother Andy when he ran away."  
"Wow. But, you never met her?"  
"No. I wasn't born yet when Derek died. The last time she ever came here, she was pregnant with you, and Mom was about to pop with me. No one ever  
heard from her after that."  
"She had a hard life. On her way to the hospital, her sister died. I guess it  
was hard for her to come back, with all the memories, and everything. She never  
even told me about this pace until today."  
"So, it's your first time here?"  
"Yeah."  
"Has anyone showed you around yet?"  
"Well, grandma Carolyn was starting to..." I trailed off, hoping he would  
take the hint, and offer to show me around.  
"Well, if it's okay with her... would you like to..." he trailed off. His tail  
turned a faint red. I think he was blushing. "That is.... if you want to..."  
"Want to what?" I asked, feigning ignorance.  
"Would it be okay if I showed you around?"  
"I'd love that." I said sincerely, blushing.  
I asked Grandma Carolyn if it was okay for me to go with Matt. She turned to look at us, and then caught my eye. I was inwardly pleading with her. She slyly smiled, and gave her permission. "But don't be gone too long."  
Matt and I swam off, talking a mile a minute, and he promised he'd show  
me everything there was to see. When I'd gasp at something, or make a big deal out of it, he'd smile at me. I knew he'd been around these things all his life, and he wasn't really that impressed with them anymore, but I was amazed by everything.  
"I want to show you something very special." he said, taking hold of my  
hand. I felt an electric tingle shoot through my body, warming me from head to fin. I swam faster to keep up with him, and relished the feeling I got just from holding his hand. I thought it might be love.  
When we stopped, I looked at him, he stared into my eyes expectantly, and I looked around. We were in a room filled with what appeared to be a huge mirror. I turned to him, confused.  
"If you concentrate, you can see what any person is doing at that very  
moment. You want to give it a try?"  
I concentrated as hard as I could on Mommy. I thought about her laugh,  
her smile, and the way she took everything I said and did so seriously, even though  
no one else did most of the time.  
I opened my eyes, and in the mirror, rather than my own reflection, I saw  
Mommy sitting with Daddy and Jesse on our couch at home. Jesse was listening to  
Mommy telling her story.  
"Why didn't I get to stay with Grandma Carolyn?" she asked.  
"You didn't want to go."  
"I didn't know."  
"We can go visit them tomorrow. See how Morgan is getting along."  
"So that's your mother, huh?" Matt asked, breaking my concentration, the picture faded, and I could seem my own reflection again. As I looked, I saw Matt  
staring at me in adoration. My heart almost skipped a beat.  
When I smiled, and turned to face him, he stopped staring. But, it was my  
turn to stare. He had eyes the color of Mommy's. His nose was so cute. Everything about him was perfect. The last thing I really studied were his lips. They were full, like mine. As I watched, he licked his lips, and I looked into his eyes. He was smiling at me, and he leaned in closer.   
As his lips were about three inches from my own, I turned so he missed. He ended up kissing my cheek, the corner of his lips just barely touching my own. He  
pulled back, clearing his throat nervously. "I'm sorry about that."  
"No, I'm sorry. I really like you. But..."  
"Yeah, we don't know each other that well. I'm sorry. I moved too fast."  
I smiled at him, and leaned in to kiss him. At first, he didn't respond. Then,  
he wrapped his arms around me, and hugged me to him. When we broke apart, I  
put my hand over my heart, willing it to slow down.  
"Wow." I gasped, my heart still pounding.  
"Yeah."  
I buried my face in my hands. "I'm so sorry."  
"Now what do you have to be sorry about?"  
"I got upset when you tried it, then..."  
"Hey, I don't mind. Believe me."  
I giggled. We kissed again, and then someone swam into the cave with us.  
"Hey, kids. This isn't a make-out spot."  
We swam off quickly. As we were leaving, I asked Matt where I was  
supposed to go if I wanted to send my Mom a dream.  
"She told me to send her a dream tonight."  
"You are a dream." he whispered, holding me tightly. I smacked him  
playfully.  
"I'm serious Matt."  
"Actually, it's exactly where we just came from."  
"The mirror room?"  
"Yeah. I'll show you."  
We went back, making sure that the woman who interrupted us had left.  
Then, he showed me that just thinking about what I wanted to send, I could create a dream, then send it to whomever I pleased.  
"The next time they fall asleep, it'll be sent to them. You wanna give it a  
try?"  
"Yeah."  
"I'll give you a few minutes. Meet me outside?"  
"Okay. I'll be out in a few minutes."  
When he left, I thought about how my day had gone, and I made sure to  
tell Mom all about Matt. I told her I missed her, and then I ended it. I wiped a tear  
from my eye, and left.  
"Ready to have some more fun?"  
"Oh yeah."  
I stopped by Grandma's house, to tell her I was going to be out for a while  
longer with Matt, and she smiled at me. As I was leaving. I could hear her whispering "Puppy love." 


	6. Chapter 3

Eutop  
  
Matt and I headed to the caves, and he talked about everything under the  
sun. He even promised to introduce me to all of his friends the next day. He made me promises, and made me feel on top of the world.  
"We're going to go hang out tomorrow with all my friends, you're going to  
love them. It's gonna be a blast."  
I laughed, he was so enthusiastic about everything, wanting to include me  
in everything. When we made it to the caves, he had practically made plans for the rest of the week. "Okay, buddy. Slow it down. You don't really even know me."  
"I know you enough."  
"You don't know anything about me."  
"What do you want me to know?"  
"Well, I can't just tell you most of these things. It's something you'd have  
to learn over time."  
"Well, I have all the time in the world to get to know you."  
"No, you don't. I'm only staying for about two and a half weeks."  
"No. You have to stay."  
"I still have a family on land. In two and a half weeks, I have to go back to  
them."  
"Then we're going to make this the best two and a half weeks of your life."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Already true to his word, he was making my first day far more memorable  
than any before. We made it to Eutop, and watched the suns set. Matt told me that it was rare to see both suns set at the same time. I marveled in the beauty of it.  
When we climbed out of the pool of water, I turned into a faerie, and Matt  
turned into an elf. He scampered into some bushed, and covered himself.  
I dove back into the water, instantly changed back to a mermaid, as did  
Matt. We kept popping out, then back in, until we were both centaurs. When we were finally changed for the last time, we went racing through the hills. He showed me everything he could. We raced the unicorns, I held a baby dragon, and we stayed out and watched the stars come out.  
As we sat on the grass, watching the stars, I talked with him about my  
family.  
"Jesse is my identical twin sister. We look just alike, obviously, but our  
personalities are so different. Everyone just seems to assume that we're alike in every way, but she's so much more outgoing than I am."  
"Sounds like my older brothers."  
"You mean you aren't the most outgoing?"  
"No way. Actually, I'm really shy. Usually."  
"Me too." I said, nodding in agreement.  
"I can't believe you're shy." he said, smiling at me.  
"Oh, like you're shy? Mr. Smooth?" I laughed, and he pretended to take  
offense, but then laughed instead. As we stood up to leave, I thanked him for a great time.  
"Hey, the night's not over yet."  
I giggled in anticipation. I wondered what else he had planned.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Well, he decided rather than go back to Grandma's house, we were going  
to explore some of the other tunnels. At one point, we ended up somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. We surfaced near a fishing boat where two teenage boys were  
floating aimlessly. I warned Matt to be quiet, and I swam closer.  
The boys were cute, and as I watched them, one of them suddenly looked  
my way.  
"What are you doing, swimming way out here?"  
I shrugged.  
"Well do you want a ride to the shore?" the other asked, smiling warmly.  
I shook my head no.  
"Where do you live?"  
I pointed downward, at the water I was still swimming in.  
"What?"  
I flicked my tail up, sending myself shooting below the surface. When I  
surfaced again, the boys were staring.  
"Is it my imagination, or do you have a tail?"  
I nodded, letting the fin poke above the water. I floated on my back, giving  
them a good view of my full tail.  
"Oh my God, dude. You're a mermaid."  
I nodded again, smiling sweetly.  
"Can you talk?"  
I nodded, swimming closer to the boat.  
"Will you say something?"  
"My name is Morgan." I said, still staying a safe distance from them.  
Matthew surfaced a few feet from me.  
"Morgan, we need to head back, It's a lot later than I had originally  
thought. Carolyn will be worried sick."  
I waved good-bye to the boys, and one of them reached out, as if to come  
with me. I blew him a kiss, and dove under the water. Somehow, I had far more courage as a mermaid.  
When we arrived at Grandma's house, she was asleep. I fell asleep on her  
couch, and Matt kissed me good-bye before returning home.  
"I'll be back in a few hours, if that's okay. I want all my friends to meet  
you. They'll be so jealous."  
"Why?"  
"Because, I..... well, I can't really explain."  
"Because you're going to tell them I'm your girlfriend, aren't you?"  
"Not if you don't want me to."  
"We'll talk about it later. Good-night Matt. Thank you for a wonderful  
evening. I had a blast." 


	7. Chapter 4

A Strange Discovery  
  
When I awoke, Grandma was humming as she bustled around the kitchen.  
When she saw me in the doorway, she turned.  
"I'm sorry I got in so late Grandma." I said, she smiled. "Matt and I had so much fun. He took me to Eutop, and we watched the suns set. I raced a unicorn, and the faeries braided my hair. Then, we went to the ocean, and I confused some teenage boys."  
She laughed. "Well, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. Matthew is a  
wonderful young man, and I'm glad you like him."  
"Grandma, was that a set-up yesterday?"  
She feigned innocence. "I don't know what you're talking about."  
"Well, either way. Is it okay if I go with him again today? He says he wants to introduce me to his friends."  
"As long as you're back by lunch-time." she told me, smiling warmly.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
When Matt did show up, he already had a few friends with him. When he  
introduced me to the guys, I could almost see the jealousy in their eyes. The girls were quite friendly, though a bit aloof at first.  
"Where are we going today?" I asked, eager to begin immediately.  
"We're going to explore more of the tunnels."  
"Cool beans."  
They laughed at my expressions, and wondered out loud what in the world  
'cool beans' was supposed to mean.  
"Oh, it's just, another way of saying cool."  
They laughed at some of the other expressions I used that day, and I  
learned some of theirs as well.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Okay, Morgan, Matt, Vada, Cody, you go left, Luke, Ashleigh, Sarah,  
Wendy and I will go right." I heard Sean call from the back of the group.  
We split up, and then our group split further. We came to a three way fork.  
Matt and I went left, Vada went right, and Cody went straight. We hadn't gone much further when there was a two-way split.  
"Well, which direction do you want to take? Matt asked me.  
"Hmmm....... left." I said, picking randomly.  
"Good-luck." he kissed me softly, and turned to leave. I watched him go  
then swam down my tunnel.  
The tunnel took a lot of turns, and I was thankful that it didn't have any  
more forks, or side tunnels. When I reached the end of the tunnel and saw bright  
light ahead, I suddenly felt some trepidation. What will I find when I reach the tunnel's end?  
I swam a bit slower, but it didn't calm my racing heart. When I reached a  
wider opening in the tunnel, I realized I was in a big pool of water. I swam till I  
reached the surface.  
It took a few second for my eyes to adjust, but when they did, I blinked in  
amazement. Before me was a castle grander than any I had ever seen before. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn't imagining it, and when I looked at my hands, I cried out in alarm. I looked like a cartoon. I was obviously over-drawn. As did all cartoons, I had a full bosom. My hands were a pale peach I had only seen on cartoons, and as I looked around, I noticed something peculiar. Everything looked drawn. I even recognized the castle in front of me. I was in The Little Mermaid! 


	8. Chapter 5

Sebastian and Ariel  
  
I climbed to shore, and my legs had returned to me. I was once again fully  
human. I only wondered what part of the movie I had entered during.  
I wandered along the beach until someone found me and brought me in. I  
realized with a start that it was Eric. I knew he really was a kind man when he told  
me I could stay.  
"What is your name?"  
"Morgan."  
"That's a beautiful name. Where did you come from?"  
"I'm not sure. I somehow found myself on the beach."  
"Well you're welcome to stay here as long as you need. Actually, we found  
another woman on the beach just a few hours ago. She was wandering around just like you. I wonder if maybe you know her?"  
"Long red hair, she was dressed in some old rags, and she couldn't talk,  
right?"  
"Yes. How did you know?"  
"She's.... my sister." I lied.  
"Wow."  
He immediately took me to her, and then closed the door, leaving us alone  
together. She looked at me, quite curious.  
"Hi Ariel."  
She looked confused.  
"I'm sure you're wondering how I knew your name?"  
She nodded. "Well, I'm from the same place you are. Well, sort of. I know  
all about the deal you made, how you lost your voice and all. If you'd like, I could try to help you."  
She nodded eagerly. "Okay, well, I told Eric I was your sister. Well in a  
way, I almost am." I giggled. "This is going to be so much fun."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ariel was a really fun girl. I knew that without her voice, and with Ursula  
plotting against her, she would have quite a time trying to make Eric to fall in love with her. I promised I'd do everything in my power to help her.  
"First off, don't listen to Scuttle. He really has no idea what he's talking  
about." She smiled, nodding. I'm sure she already knew that much.  
"Secondly, you might want to keep Sebastian with you at all times. He will  
be getting in a lot of trouble if you let him out of your sight."  
Just as I finished my sentence, Sebastian came running under her door, and paused to take a breath.  
"Ariel, dat man is a lunatic. 'E tried to chop me legs off again. He chased  
me around de kitchen, and screamed tings at me. Boy, if 'e knew who 'e was messin wit..." He suddenly seemed to notice I was in the room.  
"Who are you?" he asked, scuttling across the floor at me. Ariel put her  
hand down, and he climbed into her palm, looking at me suspiciously.  
"I'm Morgan. I've come to help Ariel."  
"How do you know her?" he asked, eyeing me.  
."I've... heard about her. Believe me, you wouldn't understand even if I  
could tell you." I knew they wouldn't be able to grasp the concept of a t.v. or a movie. And if I told them they were pretend, they'd think I was crazy.  
"Ariel, I don't trust dis girl. She looks like one of Ursula's spies."  
"Sebastian, I'm not a spy. I'm here to help you both."  
"Da sea-king should know about dis."  
"Didn't you promise Ariel on the beach that you'd help her?" I reminded  
him. Thankfully he didn't ask me how I knew, but he nodded thoughtfully.  
"How are you going to 'elp us?" he asked, still not trusting me.  
"I don't know yet." I finally admitted.  
The door to the room creaked open slowly, and Prince Eric stepped in and  
bowed.  
"I hope I'm not disturbing you two, but dinner is being prepared. Would  
you like to dress and come down?"  
Ariel nodded happily. I promised we'd be down in a few minutes.  
"Now, what shall we wear?" I asked, looking at Ariel expectantly.  
Eric had been busy having dresses made for Ariel. As a cartoon, even at the age of 12, I was built exactly like Ariel, maybe with a slightly bigger bust-line. My dresses were a bit tight in that area. I was amazed, other than that small difference, the dresses fit me perfectly. Ariel let me wear a forest green dress that matched my eyes perfectly. Ariel wore a pink one, the very one she had worn in the movie.  
We went to dinner, and much was the same. Except Sebastian was not on anyone's plate, because Carlotta had gone in to warn Louie about the extra person, and Sebastian had time to sneak away. He was still safely in the room where we hoped he'd stay for a while.  
Ariel blew ashes in Grimsby's face, because I didn't really feel like stopping her. Eric laughed, and Ariel's face positively lit up when she heard his laugh. He looked from one of us to the other, and frowned.  
"You two don't really look like sisters."  
"Well, we aren't really sisters. See, I was born her cousin, and my parents were killed in...." I thought fast "a boating accident. So, her parents took me in, and raised me as their own."  
Eric looked at Ariel and looked back at me. Ariel played along, though I'm sure I had her terribly confused. Eric nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry. It's must have been a terrible loss."  
"I was only five. I never knew them."  
There was an awkward silence, and Eric and Grimsby chewed quietly, looking at their plates, until Grimsby coughed. I noticed Ariel wasn't eating, in fact she was looking at her plate in a mixture of horror and disgust. I hadn't touched anything, because I'd been a vegetarian almost all my life.  
Eric noticed, and asked if there was something wrong.  
"We don't eat meat."  
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Could I make you two salads?"  
I nodded politely. "Please." Ariel smiled, and nodded as well.  
Eric left and came back a few minutes later. We all looked up, and Eric cleared his throat nervously. He set the salads in front of us, and we smiled gratefully. I kissed his cheek, hoping I wasn't too out of line. He blushed slightly and straightened up.  
"Would you two like to join me on a tour of my kingdom tomorrow?"  
Ariel nodded enthusiastically, and I smiled. "I think I might stay here, if you don't mind. I'd like to go swimming tomorrow."  
Eric took his seat, nodding thoughtfully. "Okay, then it's set. Ariel and I will take a tour of my kingdom. Morgan, if you change your mind, tell me. I'd love for you both to join me."  
"I've got my heart set on swimming." I lied, digging into my salad.  
  
The next morning, Ariel got up and dressed in record time. Those outfits took a lot  
of work. The stupid corsets were the worst. What I wouldn't give for a real bra! I found an old-fashioned swimming suit (forest green, of course) folded neatly outside the door when I woke up, with a note from Eric.  
I saw this, and I thought you might like it. I think the color suits you well. I'm sure you'll look lovely in it. It's the latest fashion. Have fun today, I wish you'd reconsider and come with us.  
~Eric~  
  
I took the suit inside, and smiled at the note. Ariel came out of the washroom, and twirled about, her hair fanning around her face prettily. I smiled and clapped. She took my hands and twirled about excitedly.  
When Eric came to our room to see how we were getting along, he smiled at Ariel's outfit.   
"You look radiant."  
She blushed, and hung her head, allowing her hair to fall into her face. She looked up and beamed at him. He held out his arm, and she took hold, glancing over her shoulder at me. I gave her a thumb's up, and she turned to look at Eric again. I could tell she absolutely adored him.  
  
I did actually go swimming that day. I wondered how long I had been gone from Matt and everyone. Had it been a day? I knew here it had been many many hours, but maybe time passed differently here, as it did in Eutop.  
I wondered if anyone was worried about me yet. Hopefully, Grandma Carolyn wasn't worried or upset. I didn't want her angry with me, thinking I had run off. Suddenly I wished I were home.  
I swam with dolphins. Somehow these waters were magical, I suppose. Every time I dove in, I became a mermaid, every time I climbed out, I was human again. It was amazing, kind of like 'Splash'. I swam off to see if I could find Atlantica.  
I saw the castle, and wondered if King Triton was as scary in person as he seemed in the movie. I wanted to find out. I swam for the castle, and heard him ordering everyone to keep searching for Ariel. I peeked in a window, and saw him sitting on his throne. He looked bummed, majorly. I wondered what he'd do if I told him what happened to Ariel?  
I didn't take the time to find out, though I'm sure it would have eased his stress greatly. I went back to Eric's kingdom, and found that Eric and Ariel had returned. I sunned myself on a rock, and Eric and Ariel found me stretched on the beach later.  
"Mind if we join you?" Eric asked, sitting beside me. I looked at him, smiling warmly. Ariel sat beside him, and drew pictures in the sand. She drew the figure of a mermaid, and then Atlantica. Eric watched in fascination, and asked her about them. She smiled, and swiped at the sand, wiping away the picture. He looked to me.  
"Ariel is an artist. She likes to imagine things."  
"Oh."  
She nodded in agreement. Eric smiled, and watched as she drew a picture of her father. He looked angry. This picture was far more detailed.  
"Who is this?"  
"The Sea-king." I explained. "Have you not heard stories of him?"  
"I have, but I didn't think he looked so angry all the time."  
"Not all the time. Just lately." I said seriously.  
  
Eric took Ariel out on a boat that night. I warned her before they left that Ursula would have Flotsam and Jetsam try to tip the boat if they went into a lagoon, so she should pretend to be afraid of the lagoon, or else find some way to kiss him before it happened. She nodded, eager to start out.  
She came back dripping wet. I laughed. "I told you. Now, there's going to be a girl named Vanessa who shows up on the beach tonight. She'll be Ursula in disguise. She'll be wearing a sea-shell necklace, and inside it is your voice. She'll use it to put a spell on Eric, and he's going to attempt to marry her. You must take the necklace from her, and break it, somehow. It will free your voice, and you'll be able to speak again. They're going to be married on a big boat. Do not let the boat sail away without you. If you can't get your voice before they get on the boat, find some way to get on that boat!"  
Ariel nodded, confused. But, she listened. She promised, shaking on it. I promised to do all I could to help her, but I had the feeling that it wouldn't do any good. Things would have to work out on their own.  
There was one thing I could do, however. I sent Sebastian after the sea-king. I figured he'd want to know what was happening. Sebastian listened, wide-eyed to everything I was saying. He looked at Ariel's sleeping form, she looked so peaceful. He nodded, agreeing to help me.  
"You'd better be right about dis, mon. De sea-king will be very upset if dis is all a trick. You don't want to see him angry. He's scary mon."  
I relaxed in a chair across the room from Ariel. I watched as Sebastian scuttled out of the room, and hoped he'd find Triton in time. This was a big, big mess. I wondered how I got involved in it in the first place. It seemed like one long, strange, dream. I just wanted to wake up.  
  
When we awoke in the morning, Scuttle flew in the window to announce that the Prince was getting hitched this afternoon. I nodded, knowing I was right. Ariel smiled, but then remembered what I had told her the night before. Sure enough, we went downstairs, and Vanessa was standing with Eric, playing with a seashell on a string about her neck.  
"That's the necklace Ariel." I whispered.  
Ariel snuck down the stairs, while I stood partially in the shadows. I suppose Ursula thought I was Ariel, because she didn't notice Ariel behind her until it was too late. Ariel untied the string, and the shell fell to the floor, and shattered. Her voice returned, Ariel could speak.  
Eric snapped out of it, and smiled at Ariel. She spoke his name for the first time, and they embraced. Ursula's true form was revealed, and Louie came running from the kitchen, carrying a huge butcher knife. He screamed something about calamari, and whacked Ursula's tentacles off.  
Ursula's tentacles shriveled, and she shrank away into nothingness. I stepped out of the shadows, and joined the happy couple. Just then, I saw King Triton. He motioned for me to be silent, and I turned to smile at Ariel. Eric turned  
from Ariel, and smiled at me. I hugged Ariel, and congratulated her ecstatically.  
"I have a confession." Eric announced. Ariel looked confused. "I'm not really in love with you, Ariel. I've always preferred blondes."  
He embraced me tightly, and kissed me, taking my breath away. I turned and ran from them, leaving them to sort out their own messes. I'd had enough of this world! I passed King Triton, and he glowered at me. I blushed, and ran faster. As I passed him, I noticed how long his legs were. He was tall, and quite scary when angry. I ran faster.  
As I dove into the water, my tail returning to me, I wondered just how badly I had screwed everything up. I hoped that they'd forgive me, and that whatever I had done would not change the movie at all. I made a mental note to watch The Little Mermaid when I got home. 


	9. Chapter 6

Agrabah  
  
I swam through the tunnels, hopefully back toward where I had last seen Matt, but  
I saw another tunnel, and of course, curiosity got the best of me. I followed it, wondering where it might lead. As I swam up, I heard voices. They sounded familiar, and yet I wasn't sure exactly where I had heard them before.  
"Father, if I do marry, I want it to be for love."  
I surfaced, and realized immediately where I was. I was in Agrabah. Inside the palace walls. Actually, inside the fountain. Jasmine was talking to her father. I climbed out, trying to make as little noise as possible. I noticed my outfit, and had to laugh. I was dressed as Jasmine would dress, but it was forest green, and thankfully I wasn't wet, though I had just climbed out of the fountain. Forest green... the color of my eyes. I wondered if there was something about that color...  
The Sultan went back inside, and Jasmine continued to talk to herself, and Rajah. I stepped out of my hiding place, and Jasmine gasped in shock.  
"Where did you come from?"  
"I'm not sure exactly."  
"Well, I demand that you leave at once. I am a princess, and I order you to go back to wherever you came from."  
"I can't. I don't know where that is."  
"Father can have you thrown in the dungeon, you know."  
"I know, but if he does, I'll only escape."  
"How do you plan to do that?"  
"I have my ways."  
"What is your name?"  
"Morgan."  
"That is a strange name. Mine is Jasmine,. Princess Jasmine. This is my garden. You may stay for now, until I tire of you." she said, sounding just like a spoiled princess. I knew better.  
"This garden is beautiful."  
"Not if you've lived here all your life."  
"I guess not. Do you ever get lonely?"  
"Yes. I've never had any real friends."  
Rajah growled, and lifted his head, offended. Wasn't he Jasmine's friend?  
"Except you, Rajah."  
"I'll be your friend." I told her, smiling warmly.  
"Good. I'll hide you from father, until I can find an acceptable excuse for why you are here."  
"You can tell him I'm one of your servants. Surely you have so many he wouldn't remember all of them." I offered.  
"Good idea."  
Jasmine gave me a tour of the palace, and when we got to the doors, she frowned. "I've never been outside the palace walls."  
"You'll be out there someday."  
She looked at me, and frowned uncertainly. "How do you know."  
"You were planning to run away tonight, weren't you?"  
"Yes. I was. I don't think I need to anymore. I've already made a friend."  
"But your father is still trying to force you into marriage."  
"Yes. I think maybe I will run away after all. Will you come with me?"  
"Of course. After all, a Princess should not roam the streets alone."  
We giggled, and started planning.  
  
After the sun set and all was dark, Jasmine and I climbed the palace walls. Once on the other side, we ran for all we were worth. We wandered the streets until the sun came up. As the great ball of fire climbed into the sky, sending light across the desert, we came upon the marketplace. I knew we had wandered in the right direction when I heard the men yelling at us to buy things. Soon, Jasmine picked up an apple and handed it to a little boy. I hid as Aladdin came and saved her. I followed them and when we were out of ear-shot, I showed myself again.  
"What are two women like you doing wandering the streets?"  
Suddenly we heard a commotion, interrupting his thoughts. We were forced to run, because Abu was caught stealing. When we made it to Aladdin's hideout, he asked us again, and Jasmine told him it was because her father was being unfair, and she wasn't going back. I simply told him that a woman should not wander the streets alone.  
For some reason, the guards did not come after us until after we had left again. We were on our way out, looking for food before they caught up with us.  
"We just keep running into each other, don't we, street rat?" He sneered.  
Jasmine demanded that they leave him alone.  
"Lookie here men, street mice." he shoved us roughly. I stumbled, and managed to catch Jasmine before she fell. I could see the anger flashing in her eyes. She stood up straight, and pushed back her hood, revealing her fury as well as her royal jewelry.  
"Unhand him, by order of the Princess!"  
Raul made all sorts of excuses why he could not obey. Finally he told her. "My orders come from Jafar, you'll have to take it up with him."  
Her eyes flashed angrily. "Believe me, I will."  
Boy, was I glad I was not that guard.  
  
"Father, Jafar has done something terrible!"  
I told her that Aladdin was not in fact dead, but she could not hear me. The Sultan was demanding that Jafar be brought to him immediately.  
Jafar apologized profusely, and asked Jasmine to forgive him. The Sultan, as clueless as ever, assumed everything was patched up, and went back to playing with his toys. As Jafar left the room, I told Jasmine that I knew he was not actually dead. She demanded to be led to the dungeon, and we found Aladdin, very much alive. His head hung down, he was too ashamed to look Jasmine in the eyes.  
"I'm only a street rat. You're a princess. I'm not even worthy of looking at you." he stared at the floor at his feet, only once looking me in the eyes. I saw a glimmer of something in them... was it hope? It was gone in an instant, before he hung his head again.  
"What is your name?" Jasmine demanded.  
"Aladdin." he said, not looking either of us in the eyes.  
"Aladdin, I order you to look at me."  
He looked up, and I thought I saw a tear trickle down his cheek, though it may have been a trick of the light. I told him that Jafar was going to come to him as a prisoner, and offer him escape if he'd do him a favor. I told him to accept the offer. I also warned him that Jafar would trick him, and throw him into the cave, but he must not hand over the lamp. I heard scuffling down the dungeon steps, and I hurriedly told him everything else I could remember, including not to let Abu with him, for he could not resist treasure.  
It was not actually Jafar, but a dungeon keeper, telling us it was time to go back. I smiled at him, and he returned the smile, though reluctantly.  
"Remember, tell Jafar nothing of this."  
  
Back in Jasmine's room, she asked me how I knew all of the information I had shared. I made her promise to keep a secret, and she swore on her honor.  
"I'm a witch." I lied. "I've actually come to help you. See, I know everything that can, and will happen."  
"What is to be the fate of this boy?" she asked curiously.  
"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."  
"I only hope he is not to die. I feel... he is better than that."  
"Yeah... you could say he's going to be a whole new person soon."  
"Doesn't he have the cutest eyes?" she asked, smiling dreamily.  
I smiled, wondering what she would say I told her they would be married.  
  
It was a few days before I got the feeling Jafar planned to go after Aladdin. I knew something was up one night when I heard shuffling in the halls. I had been hiding near the dungeon entrance, and I ran to Jasmine's room, waking her and telling her to follow me. We descended into the dungeon, passing the guard, who was sound asleep. I made a mental note to warn the Sultan of the ineptness of this guard. I shushed Jasmine as she started to ask what we were doing. I pointed to where Aladdin sat, shackled to the wall.  
We hid as Jafar's offer took place. Aladdin accepted, and Jafar moved the bricks. We watched as they exited, and I told Jasmine to have some horses saddled, because we were following them. We followed as they rode after the golden scarab, and the Tiger Head appeared. Aladdin went down the cave, but made Abu stay behind. Jafar watched eagerly as Aladdin descended into the mouth of the cave. The sun was slowly rising. Wait, wasn't it day when they entered the cave? I thought. Oh well, maybe I messed things up again.  
  
It seemed an eternity before Aladdin came back, holding the lamp, and Carpet was flying behind him. Jafar reached for the lamp, and I rode forward, and shoved Jafar. He tumbled into the cave, and I screamed to the Tiger "There is an intruder. He's after your treasure!" The Tiger Head swallowed Jafar. Even after the sand had settled, we could hear his screams of utter panic.  
Aladdin looked at the lamp, and handed it to me. "I don't really think I need this thing."  
I rubbed it, and Genie came out. He smiled at me, and gave me all the info I needed about the wishes. I wished we were all back at the Palace. Poof, we were there. My second wish was that we had a major feast with the Sultan, and while we were talking over dinner, the Sultan decided to hell with rules, and agreed to let Jasmine marry whoever she wanted.  
My last wish was to set the Genie free. As he was announcing how happy he was with how everything turned out, I slipped away to the fountain. I climbed in, and swam down. I ended up in the caves again. As I swam away, I wondered again how long I had been gone. 


	10. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
I followed the tunnel, promising myself not to get side-tracked again, but curiosity got the best of me again when I found yet another tunnel. I followed it, promising that I'd leave immediately if it led somewhere weird. I wondered if I'd end up in yet another movie. Maybe it would be Thumbelina this time. How badly could I screw that up?  
I was in the woods, having emerged from a small puddle. I wondered if anyone could enter and exit through the portals, but I didn't see anyone else around, so I couldn't find the answer.  
I wandered for a while, looking around, and as I approached massive gates, I realized what movie I was in. I was in Beauty and the Beast. I opened the gates and let myself in. I wandered to the castle doors, and shouted into the foyer.  
"Hello! Is anyone here?"  
Lumier and Cogsworth immediately came to the door, wondering who this visitor was. They stopped, and gasped.  
"It's the Enchantress! She's come to undo the spell. Wait till the Master hears about this!" Lumier ran off to find the Beast, and I stood there. Cogsworth was watching me nervously.  
"I'm not the Enchantress. I'm lost, and I wondered if I might be able to stay here." I explained.  
Cogsworth ran from the room, not saying a word. I heard muffled voices in the next room, and a loud growl. The Beast stormed in, and stared at me.  
"What do you want in my castle? Why are you here?"  
"I lost my way. I don't have anywhere else to go. Can I stay here?"  
"We already have a guest. Her name is Belle. Maybe you'd like to join her?" he watched me suspiciously.  
I could tell he still thought I was the Enchantress, and I didn't tell him otherwise. He led me to Belle's room, and she looked at me curiously.  
"Who are you?'  
"My name is Morgan. You must be Belle."  
"Yes. How did you know?"  
"The Beast told me."  
  
The wardrobe found dresses for both Belle and I. I convinced Belle to go to dinner with the Beast, and I followed, to make sure that the Beast behaved himself. When we arrived in the dining room, the Beast was prowling around in the kitchen, ordering everyone around. When he joined us at the dinner table, he was angry and sullen. I tried to start a conversation, but all he did was grunt.  
"Is there any way I could get a tour of the castle?" I asked, holding my breath as I waited anxiously on his reply. I was afraid he would say no.  
The beast only growled. Cogsworth obviously understood, for he promised to take me on a tour after dinner.  
"If you don't mind, I think I'd like to tag along." Belle said quietly.  
"Of course I don't mind. We can go snooping together." I whispered.  
The Beast looked at us suspiciously from across the table, and I was almost sure that he could hear us, though no human ear possibly could. I guess he's not exactly human, but really...  
When Belle went wandering in the movie, she ended up in the West Wing. I pondered over whether or not to go there with her. If I didn't, she'd never storm from the castle, and if that didn't happen, she and the Beast may never become friends. But, if I let her go, maybe the Beast would just ignore it, after all, I was here. They still believed me to be the Enchantress. If that happened, Belle would be killed in those woods. I know she couldn't fight off the wolves on her own.  
I decided to take a chance and tell Belle to go in the direction of the West Wing. I didn't tell her that's what direction she was taking, though, and I told her I was going to go exploring in the other direction.   
When I heard the commotion, I hid. I assume they still thought I was the  
Enchantress and I had gone, because for the longest time, I was not mentioned. I heard them talking, and yelling. Cogsworth blamed Lumier for the intrusion, but Lumier blamed Cogsworth. I almost laughed at their antics, but suppressed my laugher. I did not want them to realize I was still there, yet.  
  
When Belle brought the Beast back, he looked almost dead. She waited patiently for him to come around. It's almost as though she knew he was going to pull through. None of the others seemed to know what to think. They paced nervously. Belle, on the other hand, smiled at them, and asked them to go to another room if they were going to pace. She needed room.  
When the Beast regained consciousness, Belle nursed him back to health, and I could tell that they were becoming more... soft toward each other. The Beast was less snappy, and Belle became more confident.  
Rather than meddle too much more, I just kind of stayed in the shadows. I joined them for meals, but I know they didn't notice much when I decided to do things on my own. Maybe they didn't care, either.  
Soon came the day when Belle left to find Maurice. She had seen him in the mirror. The Beast let out a roar as she left, spooking Phillippe. I watched as he went to his study, and moped. I told all the enchanted objects I could find that Belle would be back, don't worry, but first Gaston and others would come. They'd have to work together.  
When the time came, all the objects fought bravely. When Gaston and the Beast fought on the roof, I watched in horror as the Beast hung Gaston by his throat over the edge. When he set him back on the roof and let him go, I sighed. He climbed the roof, but Gaston stabbed him. Then, thrown off-balance, Gaston tumbled off the roof into the darkness below.  
The Beast lay down, as though dying. I knew what would happen next, and  
listened to the words.  
"I love you."  
The rain shimmered, and the Beast rose into the air. I didn't want to watch  
anymore, tears were already dripping down my face. I ran off, and as I left the castle, I saw Gaston limping away. He wasn't dead after all. Only his pride was wounded. Okay, and maybe his ankle too. He was lucky he had fallen in the bushed below, and lucky they weren't rose bushes.  
He watched me with interest as I hurried past him. He asked me to stop. I turned to look, and saw how pitiful his handsome face had become. He was a real person too, with real feelings. I stopped, and went back to him.  
I hugged him, and kissed his cheek. He seemed to realize then that I was going to leave. He hung his head, and I watched as the rain soaked him. He was a poor pitiful man, once you got past his macho act  
I gave his hand a squeeze as I hurried to the puddle from whence I came. As I sank down, I watched his slow progress back to town, and turned once more to watch the castle. It shone brilliantly, and I smiled, descending into the water. 


	11. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
I found myself in the setting of Mulan. I looked around, and saw the rain. This must be the night she ran away to join the army. Maybe I can stop her before she gets too far. I can only hope.  
I was walking in the direction of the gate when I heard the horse whinny. I  
immediately followed the sound, and found myself staring at Mulan, all dressed up in her father's armor. She had hacked off her hair, too cleanly cut to be real, but then again, this was a movie. I mean, for God's sake... can anyone honestly tell me they believe a girl could cut her hair that straight with a friggen sword?  
Anyway, she was saddling her horse when I walked into the barn. She looked at me warily, and I realized then that I was Asian, like her. Her almond-shaped eyes widened in surprise. Here I was, a perfect stranger, walking in on her while she's impersonating a man.  
"Hello Mulan."  
"How... how do you know my name?"  
"I know a lot. I know your father was called to fight, but he was injured last time, now, you're going to take his place. I also know that when you went to see the match-maker, she said you would never bring your family honor, and now you believe you will bring them honor this way."  
"How do you know all this?"  
"I've been sent by your ancestors. Well, they'll also send Mushu. He's going to help as well...sort of..."  
"My ancestors sent you?"  
"Well, not exactly. See, I'm not from around here."  
"But you..."  
"I'm from a far away place. I guess you could say my ancestors are the ones who sent me, but anyway, I'm here to help. That's really all that matters, isn't it?"  
"I guess."  
"Well, let's get going. We've got a long ride ahead of us."  
"Okay."  
I found it difficult to ride with Mulan on the horse, especially with all that armor on. I was constantly being poked, or stabbed, or just jostled. It was not a comfortable ride.  
When we got to where the men were reporting for duty, I told Mulan I'd hide. I waited until after Mushu showed up. It wasn't long after we had arrived. Cri-Kee was with him, and they convinced Mulan that she should go on with her charade. I watched in amusement from within a puddle. I was glad it had rained the night before. It provided me with a place to hide.  
"The guardian of lost souls indeed." I muttered.  
They watched as Mulan made a big mess of the new recruits. Mushu even gave Mulan the new name of Ping. When she tried to spit, it dangled from her face. I laughed so hard I thought everyone could hear me, but they were too busy listening to their commanding officer. If he wasn't destined to be with Mulan, I'd take him in an instant. He was sooooo cute!  
  
Over the course of the next week, Mulan or 'Ping' got really good at the whole 'battle' thing. She was at the top of the troop within a few days. I knew that she was so totally going to kick major butt when it got time for them to fight. For a girl, she really was a talented fighter.  
When Mushu and Cri-Kee wrote the letter requesting their help at the last battle, I followed, in Mulan's wagon. Mushu and I plotted on ways to make Mulan the hero. I knew that somehow, he would.  
It's amazing. Only in the movies can someone randomly break into song, and everyone around knows the words.  
I was amazed by the destruction when we arrived at the battle. When we found the general's helmet, I almost believed the war was lost. I had forgotten how the movie went. Mulan and I watched in absolute horror as Shang placed his father's helmet on his sword. Mulan placed a doll alongside the sword, and we moved on.  
When Mushu and Cri-Kee accidentally gave away our position, we knew we were in big trouble.  
"Save the cannons!" Shang cried as the wagon caught fire. Mulan cut the horse free of the wagon, and we ran for dear life. I was so glad that no one noticed me running. Or maybe they did, but they didn't have time to say anything about a girl being in their midst. We were too bust running from arrows.  
In the avalanche, Mulan saved Shang's life, and had saved many others, just by starting it. She knew it was dangerous, but also that it was their only hope. She was already considered a hero. Mushu was so proud of her, he knew she could do it. Everyone believed the Huns were dead, but I knew better. I suddenly remembered what was going to happen later in the movie.  
'Ping' was wounded. When they found out, they immediately went for help. In doing so, they found out she was a girl. Mulan was found out! "Move out!" Shang  
bellowed, telling Mulan "A life for a life."  
Mulan and I huddled in the cold, trying to make a fire. We managed a tiny one, with bits of broken arrows. Mushu tried to cheer us up. It wasn't really working. Oh well, we started to head home.  
Shan-Yu had dug himself out of the snow, and so did a lot of his men. Mulan and I knew instantly that something was wrong. We heard his shout, and went to warn the others. Shan-Yu was not defeated!  
  
We caught up with them at a parade being held in their honor.  
"Make way for the hero's of China!" a man proclaimed.  
We tried to warn him that the Huns were alive, and in the city. He wouldn't  
believe us.   
"You said you'd trust Ping, why is Mulan any different?" she asked angrily. He ignored her.  
Mulan went to find someone who would believe her, and Mushu, Cri-Kee and I formed a plan. It was just crazy enough to work.  
  
When they dressed up as women and rescued the Emperor, I watched and hoped to God everything would go alright. There wasn't much I could do to help, so I left and went back to where I came from. As I sank into the puddle, I hoped Mulan and Shang would be happy together.  
I followed the tunnel, hoping not to get side-tracked, but knowing that it would happen anyway. I was just too curious. 


	12. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
I was desperate to find my way back, and I just took the tunnel because I couldn't see any reason not to. I realized I had taken the wrong one when I found myself in a lake. In front of me was a castle grander than any I had seen before. But, it was hidden by thorns. Somehow, I managed to wriggle through them, without a scratch on me.  
I knew once again that I was in a movie, and I realized which one when I saw everyone was asleep. I tried waking the guard standing near the entrance, just to prove my theory, and it proved correct. He snored on, never even pausing. I plugged my ears, and wandered further within the dark castle.  
On the movie, it never seemed this dark. I blinked as I walked past a window where the sun shone brightly in my eyes. My eyes tried to adjust to the darkness, which seemed to deepen with every step. I shuddered as a cold chill ripped through me. I wrapped my arms around myself, and ventured further. There were a few torches on the walls, casting spooky shadows over the walls. I jumped as I heard a faint noise, the silence that ensued was eerie. Suddenly, I heard it again. A quiet noise, like a sigh. I opened a door.  
Inside was a princess so beautiful, I could only imagine the line of suitors she would have had, had she not been hidden in the woods for so long. This was Aurora. Her sleeping form was unmoving, almost as though she had expired, but she would let out a sigh every once in a while, betraying the illusion of death. It was as though her dreams were haunted. With good reason, I thought.  
I knelt before her, and watched as her eyelids fluttered. She whispered one word. Phillip. I smiled, and waited for Phillip to arrive. There wasn't much I could do, to mess this up, or otherwise.  
When Philip did show up, I could hear him fighting Maleficent outside the castle. I watched from the window, in awe of his strength and intelligence. He was quick on his feet, but I winced as I watched them fight. If I hadn't already seen how it would turn out, I wouldn't have believe that Phillip could beat Maleficent.  
Finally she was dead. All the thorns around the castle retreated, and everyone started to wake. Aurora, however, remained asleep. I ran down the stairs, and as everyone was yawning and looking around sleepily, I grabbed Phillip's hand, and pulled him up the stairs to Aurora's bed. He knelt beside her bed, tears unshed shining in his eyes. He leaned forward to kiss her, and then lay his head on the edge of her bed to weep.  
"Phillip." she whispered, sitting up. He looked up, and grinned. A single tear splashed onto his pant leg, then he stood, grasping her hand within his. I quietly exited, and snuck out of the palace while everyone was distracted.  
I hurried to the pond where I had surfaced, made a clean dive, and swam quickly through the water, hoping to find Matt again. I missed him so much! 


	13. Chapter 10

I found myself in a small room, near a fireplace. I looked around, and realized I was in a bucket of water. I recognized the girl tending the fire almost immediately. Cinderella. She hummed to herself, as she added more wood to the fire, and stood up, brushing the soot from her clothes as best she could. She was humming a familiar tune, though I couldn't place it, yet. Finally, I realized it was the song about Nightingales she sang when she washed the steps.  
I pulled myself completely from the bucket when her back was turned I looked at the bucket, and wondered how I had ever fit inside it. My hair was dripping on the floor, and Cinderella turned at the noise of the water hitting the wood. She gasped in surprise to see me there.  
"Where did you come from?"  
"That bucket of water."  
She went to the bucket, and put her hand in. She obviously hit the bottom, and then looked at me suspiciously. Well, she definitely didn't believe me. Hey, if I were her, I wouldn't believe me.  
"How did you get in there?'  
"I don't know."  
"You'd better leave. My step-mother and step-sisters are out buying clothes for the ball, but they could be back any time."  
"I'm not afraid of them." I proclaimed.  
"Well, I am. Will you please go?'  
I headed for the bucket, and put one foot in. I was afraid I was going to hit the bottom, but somehow, my foot passed right through it. I put the other foot in, and sunk straight down. Soon, only my head was still in Cinderella's kitchen. She gazed at me in amazement.  
"If you're that good at hiding, maybe you can stay."  
"I'll hide in the stable, with the horse and your dog."  
"Okay. For now, you can stay and talk with me. Tell me where you're from."  
I climbed out of the bucket again, and sat on a stool near the fireplace. I knew I'd get soot all over me, but I didn't much care.  
"Okay. Well, I'm from a place far away, I think. I live in the water. Actually, I'm a mermaid."  
"A what?"  
"A mermaid. I have the upper body of a human, and the tail of a fish, instead of legs."  
"I see only regular legs."  
"That's only when I'm above water."  
"That's strange."  
"I know."  
"What's your name?"  
"Morgan Ellen Prinze."  
"Mine's Cinderella."  
"I know."  
"How would you know my name?"  
"I know a lot of things."  
"Like what?"  
"You dream of going to the ball, and your step-mother told you that it would be alright if you did, as long as you finish your chores, and find a suitable dress."  
"Yes."  
"I also know that you're planning to work on your Mother's dress, but you  
haven't found the time."  
"Yes."  
"The mice will do it for you, but you must pretend it's a surprise."  
"Lovely."  
"But, your step-sisters will tear it apart, because it will be made with some of their things."  
"Oh no!"  
"Yes, but, your fairy God-mother will appear and make things right again."  
"That's utter nonsense. I have no such fairy God-mother."  
"Oh, but you do." A voice said, and suddenly there was smoke in the air. A little woman appeared, and she smiled at Cinderella and I.  
"Hello dearies."  
Cinderella was spooked, and it took quite a bit of convincing before she believed it was indeed her fairy God-mother.  
"Now, I'm curious, how did you end up here, Morgan?"  
"I'm trying to find my way back, and I keep getting lost. And, I keep ending up in places like this."  
"I know quite well. I've been watching you, hoping you wouldn't pick our land to show up in. Well, now that you're here, I supposed you'll cause mischief, and then leave?"  
"I suppose." I giggled nervously.  
"Well, that can't be helped, but when you're through, I'll send you back so that you and Matt can spend some time together before school starts again. Then, I'll go about fixing the messes you've made."  
"Thank you."  
"Hello! Can you please explain to me just what is going on here?" Cinderella demanded.  
"Well, all that concerns you is that you will be in a bit of a jam soon. I'll see you then." Her God-mother disappeared in a puff of smoke. Cinderella looked at me, completely confused.  
"You really should get some sleep. You're awfully tired."  
"Yes, I suppose I am." she yawned, and wandered from the fireplace, looking more confused than ever. I giggled and went to the stables, where I curled up in the hay.  
  
The next morning when I awoke, Cinderella came out to check on me while feeding the animals.  
"Oh, you're still here. I thought it was a dream, because I couldn't find you. I figured you had either left, or I had imagined everything."  
"You didn't imagine it. I just figured it wouldn't do for me to sleep near the  
fireplace, especially since your step-sisters and step-mother were going to be home soon. Boy were they noisy when they got back.."  
"Okay. So, you decided to sleep in the stables?"  
"Yeah, the hay is soft."  
"I know, I've spent many nights out here when my step-mother decides I need to be punished."  
"I can't believe they could be that cruel." I thought about what I had just said. "On second thought, maybe I can believe it."  
"Well, did you sleep well?" She asked, changing the subject.  
"Not exactly. The mice were talking to me all night long. Oh, Jaque is such a chatter-box."  
"I know."  
"I finally fell asleep, and they shut up I suppose."  
"Actually, they came to bug me."  
"I should have known they wouldn't give up that easily." I said, smiling wryly. She giggled, and agreed enthusiastically.  
"CINDERELLA!" I heard someone shout from the house.  
"That's my cue." she sang, and scurried off.  
I looked around the stable. I could tell that at one time they must have owned a great many horses, and her father must have had a lot of money. The stables were nice, and very big. I wondered how he had died. It was never actually mentioned, as far as I knew, in the movie. Maybe I would ask before I left.  
Cinderella came back out a while later, telling me that her step-mother and step-sisters were out looking for more suitable clothing, because after a night's rest, they had decided that the clothing they picked out the day before was too common. I laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like them."  
"So, tell me about where you're from."  
I told her all about the caves, and the under-water world where I was visiting, and all about the caves that led me here. It was more than I had admitted to any of the others so far, and I wondered if maybe it was a bad idea?  
While we talked, I braided her hair, and tried out some of the styles that Mommy had done on my hair, and she looked in the mirror, claiming that I could do this professionally.  
"I have a brilliant idea!" I exclaimed. "I could fix your step-mother and step-sisters hair. Tell them it's the latest fashion, and maybe they'll be so happy that they'll let you go to the ball after all."  
"Maybe." She said, though she sounded unsure.  
  
I figured out pretty soon why she sounded so unsure. If I had disliked the girls when I saw the movie, it was nothing in comparison of how felt when I met them  
face-to-face. They sneered.  
"What kind of hair-dresser are you? Obviously Cinderella made a horrible choice in choosing you. What did we expect from someone so lazy and stupid?"  
My fists clenched, and I gritted my teeth. I pretended not to take offense at their comments, and noticed that they didn't tell me to leave, instead they sat in their chairs.  
"Well, what are you waiting for? Prove us wrong." Anastasia shouted. I tried to block out the screeching voice. I wondered how anyone with my Mother's name could be so horrible.  
I styled their hair, and when I was done, even they had to admit that I was good. I had tried styles that were from my mother's generation, but were literally decades ahead of their time. They loved them, and preened in front of the mirrors. I had to admit, even they could look good with the right hairdo's.  
Cinderella smiled from the doorway, and her step-mother beamed her approval.  
"Okay. you will fix my daughter's hair when it comes time. Until then, I'd like you to stick around. Maybe you could help Cinderella with her chores?"  
I nodded in agreement. Cinderella hid a smile behind her hand. I put the chairs back where they belonged, and went to go help wash the floors.  
  
The day of the ball, the sisters were so nervous, they ran around the house like chickens with their heads cut off. I finally convinced them that I was going to need them to sit still, because if they didn't I could never manage to fix their hair. Anastasia demanded to go first, and Drisella said it was just as well, because she wasn't done fixing her outfit yet. I thought they both looked silly in their fancy dresses. They looked no better than if they were wearing potato sacks, but their hairdo's turned out fantastic, if I do say so myself.  
When Cinderella came downstairs wearing her mother's dress, her awful  
step-sisters immediately tore it apart. Cinderella was left standing there, with barley  
anything on. She shivered as a cold draft blew in. Her step-sisters flounced their skirts, and left in a huff. Cinderella went to the garden to cry.  
"I warned you, didn't I?'  
"I know. They're so horrible."  
Her fairy God-mother showed up, and started getting everything together. I asked was there any way I could go to the ball as well? She said yes, and when the clock struck midnight, I would be instantly transported back to the cave. I'd be right at the spot where Matt and I parted. I hugged her, and thanked her profusely, then it was Cinderella's turn.  
As we climbed into the carriage, we waved until we could see her no more. I laughed at how excited I was. Cinderella looked gorgeous in her white ball gown. Mine, once again, was forest green. I know there must be something about that color. I smoothed my skirt and laughed nervously. I had never been to a ball before, and I didn't really know how to waltz. What was I going to do?  
I needn't have worried. It was a movie. I naturally knew how to waltz. I danced once with the Prince, but he was eager to dance with Cinderella, and once he did, he didn't leave her side.  
At a quarter till midnight, the Prince announced his plans to marry the girl.  
Cinderella smiled happily. I watched in delight as they danced, their first dance as an  
engaged couple. Suddenly, the Prince's younger brother was at my side. He asked if I  
cared to dance. I smiled. He looked so much like Matt. I accepted, and we whirled around the dance floor, feeling as though we were walking on air. I imagined that it was Matt in my arms. I wondered if we would ever dance like this?  
We spun, and I laughed giddily. I knew my time left here was short, because the clock was going to strike midnight in only a few minutes. I looked into the eyes of the young Prince, as he told me that he really liked me.  
As the clock struck midnight, I felt myself being.... pulled. I watched as the colors around me started to fade. I quickly kissed the younger prince, and then all the colors became one. I was in the cave again. 


	14. Chapter 11

An End to a Beautiful Dream  
  
I made it back to where Matt was waiting for me.  
"Dead end."  
"Mine too."  
"Didn't take you long to reach the end, I'm guessing?"  
Are you kidding? I thought. I've been gone for weeks, surely. It felt like it anyway. I smiled, and took his hand, as we joined the others. They were disappointed.  
"I found another way to the ocean." Kecia told us dejectedly. No one else had much luck either. I didn't want to share my discovery with anyone, just yet. I waited until Matt had taken me back to Grandma's house before telling anyone. I told Grandma, and she smiled, not believing me at first  
When she finally believed me, she told me that's how the stories had been invented in the first place.  
"So, you mean that those alternate dimensions were just as real as this one? So, was Walt Disney..... a merman?"  
"Well, as a young man he was. When he as 18, he chose to visit land, and was so fascinated by the world above, he stayed. It's because of his first years as a merman that The Little Mermaid was such a realistic movie. He knew everything there was to know about mermaids, and mermen, though The Little Mermaid is taken directly from that dimension, and not much of it applies to us. See, we do not fear humans. And here, King Triton is not the ruler. We have no king, no queen, but a group we call the counsel."  
"Oh, so you mean that it's not like a monarchy at all? Do you guys elect your counsel?"  
"Not really. See, when our people were first created, we elected counsel members. These select few were given powers beyond all mortal comprehension, as well as immortality. Now, if they so choose, they may step down, and elect a new counsel member, and in that case, they loose all power, and immortality. They, in turn, shall die, as all creatures must."  
"Why would anyone make that choice."  
"It is hard, they are not all-knowing. They do have wonderful powers, but they are a big responsibility. Think if you had to be the one making every decision for an entire race of people, and the job never ended. Wouldn't you want a break every now and again?"  
"Yes, but..."  
"They never can take breaks. They are elected for life."  
"Wow."  
Mom told me they were wanting to elect Grandma to be one of the counsel. I wondered if she'd accept?  
Mom showed up again later that night, and Grandma told her she needed to talk to her about something very important, and that Jesse needed to be present. Mom promised she'd be back soon, and left to go get Jesse.  
  
Grandma told Mom everything I had been through, and they discussed what would happen for most of the night. This time Jesse had come along, and she and I stayed up, while I told her of my adventures. She wanted to meet Matt, but was extremely disappointed when I told her we were already going out.  
"My sister, all grown up, and has a boyfriend."  
I giggled nervously.  
"So have you kissed him yet?"  
I nodded, sighing. She giggled.  
"Is he a good kisser?"  
"Well, I have no basis for comparison, but I think he is."  
"That is so cool!" she squealed.  
  
The next morning, when I woke up, Mom and Grandma were sitting at the table, discussing something very seriously. I smiled, but my smile disappeared when I saw the looks on their faces. Grandma came toward me, and hugged me. I was confused. What in the world is going on? I wanted to shout.  
"I'm sorry Morgan, but I have no choice." Grandma told me. She smiled, and placed her hand upon my head. I felt the room spin, and heard her final words to Mom. "I had no choice. I'm erasing her memory. I'll do the same with Jesse if you think it's required. Too much damage has been done. Unfortunately, we can not reverse time, but I'm sure those other dimensions can be fixed with a bit of work. I won't fix Matt's memory, but his friends will need it."  
I wondered why they weren't going to 'fix' Matt. I didn't think it was fair, but as I tried to protest, my mind went blank. My last rational thought was that I wished I could've said goodbye to Matt. A tear slid down my cheek, and all was black. I drifted into a dreamless slumber. 


	15. Epilogue

AFTERWARD  
  
I sat on my bed, thinking about what a boring summer I'd had so far. Nothing exciting ever happens to me! I climbed under my bed, and lay on my stomach, kicking the boards that held my mattress so firmly in place.  
"This has been the most boring summer of my entire life! I swear it has!" I  
grumbled, kicking the boards still. I found some paper and started writing a story about a girl who finds out she's a mermaid one day, and I thought of some mischief she could get into. I was interrupted when Jesse wandered in the room, and peered under the bed.  
"Hey, you wanna go ride our bikes? I found a really cool cove I want to check out. Feel like coming along?"  
"Sure. There's nothing else to do around here." I crawled out from under the bed, wondering when Daniel was getting back from summer camp. 


End file.
